Cotton-stalk cutter.



WITNESSES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

[NVEN T01? J. THOMSEN.

COTTON STALK CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1912.

1,054,882, Patented Mar.4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR JOHN THOMSEN, OF RICARDO, TEXAS.

COTTON-'S'IALK' CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Tatent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

. Application filed May 8, 1912. Serial No. 696,033.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN THOMSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ricardo, in the county of Nueces and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Stalk Cutters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to cotton stalk choppers, and has for its object the production of a simple and efficient machine, whereby the chopping drum or cylinder may be quickly and conveniently raised and lowered to an operative and inoperative posi tion.

With this and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the frame of the stalk cutter. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective showing the manner of connecting the cutter bars to the arms of the cutting drum. Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 3.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that 1 designates the main frame which.

is rectangular in form and is made angular in cross section as indicated by 2 in Fig.2. By having the frame of the device made as above indicated it will be seen that a very cheap and light, but yet durable structure has been produced. This frame 1 carries a protector hood 3 which protector 3 is reinforced along its side edges by means of bands 4. The ends of the protector hood 3 are bent to form laterally extending feet 5, which feet engage the front and rear transversely extending portions 6 of the frame 1.

A tongue socket 7 is carried by the front transversely extending beam 6 of the frame 1, and comprises a pair of parallel side portions which fit upon the side of the tongue 8 for firmly holding the tongue in engagement with the frame 1. A diagonally extending member 9' engages the socket 7 and the front of the frame 1 as indicated in Fig. 4 for bracing the tongue 8 against lateral movement.

A lever supporting frame 10 is suspended from the shaft socket 7 and to this lever supporting frame is pivotally secured the spaced ends 11 of the locking lever 12. These ends 11 are provided upon their inner faces with notches 13 constituting means for gripping the locking plate 14, which plate is carried by the hinged frame 15 hereinafter described. The lever 12 is normally. held in its vertical position by means of a coil spring 16, which spring engages the lever 12, as at 17 and engages the hood 3 directly under the seat supporting spring, as indicated at 18. A seat 19 is supported upon the hood 3, by means of a spring support 20.

An auxiliary frame 15 is hingedly secured to the main frame 1, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4, and this frame comprises a pair of side members 21 connected at their front ends by means of a transversely extending member 22. The side members 20 of the frame 15 are, like the front member 22, formed of an angle structure in cross sec tion. have their rear ends journaled upon the frame 1, by means of bolts 23. Axles 24 are fixedly secured to the side members 20 of the frame 15, and upon these axles are mounted supporting wheels 25. These wheels 25 may be made of any desired structure for accomplishing the purpose desired. A platform 26 is carried by the frame 15 adjacent the transversely extending member 22, and this platform carriesthe locking plate 14 above mentioned. The transversely extending member 22 is provided with notches 27 for allowing the frame to fit snugly over the diagonally extending braces 9. J

A cutting drum 28 is carried by the frame 1, and has its stub shafts 29 journaled in the apertures 30 formed in the frame 1. The cutting drum 28 comprises end sections which form divergently extending legs 31 which legs are bent to form angle ends 32 constituting efficient securing means for con- The side members 20v of the frame 15 necting the cutting knives 33 thereto. These be positioned between the legs 31 and limit the rotary movement of the cylinder 34 upon the side members, of the drum. It should, however, be understood that this cylinder 34: may have a limited rotating movement between the ends so as to act as a cleaning means and prevent the earth or other portions of the cotton stalks from becoming clogged between the cutting blades 33. It, of course, should be understood, that as this drum is being rotated, the cylinder 34: will rotate so as to have the rib portions slide, or l1We free movement between the legs 31 of the drum.

When it is desired to convey the stalk chopper from place to place without having the cutting drum operate, the operator may place his foot upon the platform 26, and

by his own weight force the frame 15 down upon the frame 1, to the position shown in Fig. 2. The notches 13, may then be brought into engagement with the locking plate 15%, and through the medium of the spring 16, the frame 15 will be held in its locked position upon the frame 1. hen it is, however, desired to use the cutting cylinder or drum, the operator may force the lever 12 outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1 and allow the cutting drum to descend to effectually operate upon the cotton stalks lying upon the ground. The cutting knives 33 will then thoroughly chop up the stalks, and as previously explained,the cylinder 34 by rotating between the end members of the drum 28, will keep the space between the cutting blades or knives 83 from becoming clogged or congested, which would be very likely to cause the drum to become ineffective.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that a very eflicient device has been produced whereby the cutting drum may be quickly and efliciently drawn into an operative or inoperative position through the medium of the locking lever 12, thereby doing away with the necessity of removing the wheels from the frame as is very often the case in the devices now in use, when it is desired to throw the cutting drum into an operative position.

hat is claimed is 1. A machine of the class described comprising a main frame, an auxiliary frame hinged to said main frame, and fitting thereover, a locking lever carried by said main frame and provided with notches upon one side thereof, a locking plate carried by said main frame and adapted to be engaged by the notches formed upon said locking lever, and means for normally holding said locking lever in engagement with said locking plate.

2. A machine of the class described comprising a main frame, an auxiliary frame hinged thereto, a shield hood carried by said main frame, said auxiliary frame work ing over said shield hood and provided with a platform at its front end, means carried by said main frame and engaging said auX- iliary frame for locking said frames together, and means carried by said hood and engaging said locking lever for holding sa d lever in operative engagement with said auxiliary frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my 7 signature in presence of two witnesses.

, JOHN THOMSEN. Witnesses:

WV. H. MCCRACKEN, JOHN J. MESSERLI.

Com'es of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

